Vaping is the act of inhaling vapour produced by an electronic device, commonly known as an e-cigarette. These devices heat a liquid that typically contains nicotine, flavourings, and a cocktail of chemicals, many of which are harmful to the lungs and overall health.
Inside most vaping cartridges are liquids laced with nicotine and sweet flavourings that appeal to young users, ranging from candy and fruit to even peanut butter. However, beyond the enticing tastes lie hazardous substances, including carbonyls, formaldehyde, benzene, and heavy metals, such as tin, lead, and nickel. These are toxic compounds, especially when inhaled.
Medical professionals have raised serious concerns. Vaping, they warn, can damage the lungs, heart, and immune system, and may even lead to cancer. One doctor recently shared, “Some end up in the intensive care unit, requiring all sorts of invasive measures just to stay alive.”
Here in Singapore, reports of an alarming rise in youth vaping—including children in primary schools—have deeply troubled many. Despite vaping being illegal in Singapore, the problem is growing, prompting authorities to consider stronger enforcement measures.
Local newspapers have not minced words, calling it “the vape scourge in Singapore”, “inhaling the breath of death”, and “the invisible crisis”. This is not a concern confined to our nation alone. Neighbouring countries are witnessing the same destructive trend. Youths on overseas trips, especially without parental guidance and supervision, are particularly vulnerable to exposure.
According to a report in The Straits Times, “Vaping is a global crisis that is getting more youth hooked on drugs, as crime syndicates pack potent and addictive substances into small devices that look like pens or lighters.” (Read more here: www.straitstimes.com/singapore/why-the-vape-scourge-in-singapore-concerns-everyone).
Our Christian Response
As pastors, parents, and concerned believers, we must not stay silent. Scripture calls us to be stewards of our bodies (1 Cor. 6:19-20), and to protect the young and vulnerable from harm. Let us pray, speak, and act with both truth and love, educating our youths, supporting wise policies, and reminding all that true freedom is found not in indulging the flesh, but in walking by the Spirit.
Your Body Is God’s Temple—Not Yours to Damage
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you… and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body…” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).
Vaping, like other addictive behaviours, threatens the health of the body and clouds the mind. Scripture teaches that your body is not your property, but God’s, redeemed at the cost of Christ’s blood. How you treat your body reflects your reverence for God’s ownership, and your honour for His indwelling presence.
Vaping may seem trendy, but it is a fleeting, destructive trend. Worse still, it turns you away from honouring God with your body.
So, whatever you do with your body, ask yourself: Is what I’m doing showing reverence for the body God gave me?
Don’t Be Conformed—Be Transformed
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).
The world says, “Do what everyone else is doing.” But the Word says, “Be different, be holy.” All believers should reject the ungodly, unsafe, and unwholesome patterns of this world. Instead, they must embrace a transformed life through the renewal of the mind in obedience to God’s Word. True worship involves presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, set apart for God. Transformation begins inwardly, shaping our thoughts in submission to God’s will, as revealed in His Word. Then our actions will reflect God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will—and not of the world’s destructive fashions.
Vaping has become a cultural phenomenon, especially among young people. But the call of Christ is to stand apart, even when it’s unpopular.
Christian children and youths, you should not be defined by trends, but by the wisdom of God’s Word. Be bold enough to say, “I belong to Christ—I don’t need a device to find peace or pleasure.”
Avoid Traps That Lead to Bondage
“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12).
Paul warns us not to let any habit or pleasure gain control of our lives. While many things may be permissible or desirable, not all are beneficial in our spiritual growth and in honouring Christ. Paul warns against being mastered by any habit that hinders spiritual freedom and growth.
Vaping is often marketed as harmless, but science and the experience of many are proving otherwise. It usually leads to nicotine addiction, deeper substance use, and mental health struggles. Many teens use vaping as a coping tool, but rather than helping them, it often deepens their emotional struggles. Reports in Singapore point to the fact that, instead of alleviating anxiety or stress, vaping worsens them through nicotine-induced neurochemical changes.
Freedom in Christ does not mean freedom to self-destruct. True freedom is the power not to be mastered by anything but the Spirit of God, who helps us to have spiritual comfort, peace, and a fruitful life.
Mission Report from Pangasinan
Donald dela Cruz
I praise the Lord for sustaining the people who come from nearby Inlambo. Four newcomers returned to worship with us last Lord’s Day. I am bringing the minivan to their area to fetch them to and fro. May the Lord help them to learn and settle in the church.
The brethren in San Fernando are also inviting their family members to join the worship service. Two of the regular worshippers invited their siblings last Lord’s Day. Many teenagers from the area likewise attended our service last week. I shared with the brethren our desire to have home visitations in the area from time to time. My family and I plan to stay at one home on one Monday per month, and visit two other homes there. May the Lord guide us to encourage the brethren in San Fernando.
This week, Elsa, who is one of our regular worshippers, underwent an appendicitis operation. The family falls into the lower income bracket. The family’s source of income is to buy and sell calamansi, and just live day by day with no savings. I urged the brethren to contribute for the expenses of the surgery. Thank God for brethren who responded. I also extended our help of PHP10,000 through the Charity Fund. After the surgery, I invited Elsa to stay in the church to recover and rest. Their house is very small, and she has small children as young as 2 years old. She has stayed here for 6 days and may still continue for another week.
I praise the Lord for preserving my family and me, when we met with an accident on the highway. A motorcycle with a sidecar hit the side of the van as we were turning left. The motorcycle was very fast and not able to apply the brakes on time. The motorcycle flipped after the accident, and the driver and pillion rider fell. The driver was working at a car body-repair shop, and we settled amicably after fixing the car. I brought the car to their shop last Monday, and it will be released on Saturday. Thankfully, only a minor injury was sustained by the motorcycle driver.
Our programme to send our less privileged youths to school has officially started. We are supporting one Grade 7 student; his name is Ren Lloyd. He has been attending the church for many months. Five siblings are living with their grandfather. The father has abandoned them a long time ago, and their mother also deserted them recently. The mother went to Manila ostensibly to look for a job to support the children, but it was an excuse to run away. The grandfather is also sickly and cannot work well. Ren Lloyd is still living with his grandfather, and we are giving him his daily school pocket money. We also provide one sack of rice to the family every month to help them with their daily provisions.
Please pray for us.